Disc brake caliper of continuous hoop type

Abstract

A disc brake caliper comprises a cast body including an inboard support, an outboard support, a pair of spaced parallel bridge tension members and a central bridge compression member, with the one ends of the bridge members connected to the inboard support and their other ends connected to the outboard support. The outboard support includes a pair of transverse interconnected tension members with their outer ends connected to the bridge members and an inclined rib member extending from the central bridge member and connected to the junction of the pair of tension members. The caliper body further includes a cast cylindrical socket arranged inwardly of the bridge members and extending through the inboard support. A cylinder piston insert is retained within the socket. A piston is inserted within the cylinder and has a sleeve of elastomeric material bonded to its exterior cylindrical surface and is adapted to yieldably and sealingly engage the brake cylinder insert.

I claim: 
     
       1. A disc brake caliper of the type for use in combination with a rotor engageable by brake pads which receive a certain braking load, said disc brake caliper comprising: a pair of identical bridge members which are spaced a certain distance apart;   a first diamond shaped flat plate acting in compression and connected to said pair of identical bridge members;   a first pair of identical tension members being mutually connected at a respective first end thereof and each of said first pair of identical tension members further having a respective second end thereof which is connected to a unique one of said pair of identical bridge members;   triangular shear web member means connected to each of said first pair of identical tension members and to said first diamond shaped flat plate for increasing the uniformity at which the braking load is applied to said brake pads;   socket means for receiving a cylinder;   a central bridge member having a first end connected to said socket means and a second end forming a rib which is connected to said first pair of identical tension members and which extends below said first pair of identical tension members effective to support said first diamond shaped flat plate;   a second pair of identical tension members, each having a first respective end thereof which is connected to a unique one of said pair of identical bridge members and a second respective end connected to said socket means, said second pair of identical tension members cooperating with said pair of identical bridge members and with said first pair of identical tension members to form a continuous hoop surrounding the periphery of said disc brake caliper; and   a second diamond shaped flat plate acting in compression and connected to said second pair of identical tension members, said second diamond shaped flat plate cooperating with said first diamond shaped flat plate to maintain a spacing between said pair of identical bridge members.